Lactobacillus strains have been consumed by humans throughout history, and as a microorganism exhibiting highly beneficial effects on human health, the usefulness of this group of bacteria appears to be higher now than ever before. Thanks to extensive investigations in recent years, huge progress has been made in the understanding and application of Lactobacillus, and the bacteria are used in a broad application range, i.e., new drugs and health products as well as common food products are developed. Selected strains of Lactobacillus colonize the intestine of animals, decompose nutrients and various carbohydrates that are taken by the animals to use them as an energy source, and produce lactic acid and antimicrobial materials to protect the intestine, also by way of competition, against the growth of harmful bacteria. Accordingly, they contribute greatly to maintaining the intestinal health. In addition, Lactobacillus strains are widely used to promote animal growth, improve feed utilization and conversion, increase resistance to diseases, suppress growth of harmful bacteria, reduce mortality, suppress production of toxic substances, and produce various vitamins. However, to exhibit the effects as described above, the viable lactic acid bacteria must arrive in the intestine from the outside in a viable condition without any interruption. In order to exhibit their function properly in the intestine, the destruction of Lactobacillus by gastric acid, which is secreted following oral administration, should be minimal while strong resistance to bile acid should be exhibited.
Obesity has become a social issue for aesthetic reasons; however, the most serious problem associated with it is that it could result in serious health risks typical of metabolic disease including complications such as diabetes and hypertension. Pathological conditions related to obesity as such disease state are closely related to systemic chronic inflammation occurring in a person with obesity. The inflammatory response is an important reaction of the immune system at the local site infected by pathogenic bacteria and viruses introduced from outside. However, if the inflammatory response is chronically and systemically over-activated due to a disrupted balance in the systemic immune response, a failure in the metabolic reaction of the body is caused. Chronic inflammation caused by obesity has been known to cause various metabolic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and arteriosclerosis; these are also the most important conditions for recognizing obesity as a disease. Obesity without any development of secondary metabolic diseases caused by chronic inflammation is just a simple cosmetic issue. Recently, the World Health Organization recognized obesity as a disease because obesity may be involved in chronic inflammation capable of causing a secondary metabolic disease like diabetes that can significantly reduce the quality of life.
Meanwhile, according to the Korea Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-0000871, “Lactobacillus plantarum HY7711 having anti-oxidation efficacy and anti-inflammatory efficacy and a product containing the Lactobacillus plantarum HY7711 as active ingredient” is disclosed. However, there is no description related to the features of the Lactobacillus plantarum HAC01 strain of the present invention that has both anti-inflammatory efficacy and metabolic disease improving efficacy.